Political anxiety & therapy thread

[twinmomma]

I am getting more and more anxious the closer it gets. DH's friend always throws an election night party so we will go to that. It's supposed to be fun - good food, a bartender, a huge screen/projector for watching results come in. But I think it's just going to be anxiety inducing because I never know many people there, don't drink a lot, and the vibe is going to be super stressful. On top of that, I have to wake up the next morning and fly to Texas for work and be on top of my game for the rest of the week. I'm not sure how I'm going to focus and stay chill in front of my colleagues, while also feeling like I'm in enemy territory, and without DH around to talk me down and distract me when I'm in my hotel room alone at night.

[leahcar]

twinmomma, not sure where in TX you're headed- the cities in TX are very blue though. Assuming you're in one of the cities, I don't at all think you're going to feel surrounded.

I foolishly did not take time off after the election this year. So I can spiral in anxiety while trying to hold it together at work. Sounds like a winning recipe! I *did* make myself a Monday night therapy appointment.

[kellady]

I was relieved to see that H’s and my ballots show as having been received.   But now I worrying about certification interference.  I don’t want to “bug” them at the township office, when there shouldn’t be any problem at all.  I just have no idea what my signature looked like when I registered to vote, compared to now, many years and post cards later.  I don’t want to “borrow” trouble.

sonrisa - I have a grand child who I am worried about if Trump wins also. I reading  Threads like PP to try to get energy from the many people who have “completed the assignment.”

[pixy0stix]

The "good" news for those of us that have to work the next day is that I doubt the election will be decided by then.

I really hope I'm wrong and it's a Harris landslide.

[breezy8407]

One of the only positives about 2020 was that we weren't in the office because of Covid. 2016 was awful, and the trumpers were gloating. At one point, I overheard a guy making fun if Hillary and I stood up in my cubicle and said STOP. It was like a record scratch. The whole place went silent. It was awful and I already don't want to go to work the day after.

[TR]

Nov 1, 2024 14:18:01 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

The "good" news for those of us that have to work the next day is that I doubt the election will be decided by then.

I really hope I'm wrong and it's a Harris landslide.

I'm most likely using one of my "work from anywhere" weeks next week because a) I anticipate staying up late on Election Night and b) I will want to be GLUED to my TV/the internet until it's called. The only way I'm going into the office on Wednesday is if it's called for Harris before, like, 11pm.

[lilac05]

I just scheduled a meeting for 8AM on Wednesday morning. Ugh. But it’s with the public library director, so I feel like my odds are good that I’ll be in good company.

[pugz]

maybe the butterfingers DID work? Because I feel optimistic today.

[ESF]

I am not great.

Whiplash between hope and despair. It’s wearing me down.

I am not just nervous about the outcome but about the entire process. Violence at polling stations while people are voting or counting votes. Chaos in the courts. Another January 6.

[Saudade]

I really wish I had taken Wednesday off. But I didn’t have the foresight to do it so instead I’ve been overbooking myself to make the day too busy to even have a chance to breathe.

[sequins]

I'm happy to have work to distract me next week. Every minute that my mind is not occupied with work or other stuff, I end up obsessing over polling and early voter turnout.

[aurora]

Definitely feeling more anxious this morning. Will be hard to focus at work.


I saw an article (I think it was in the NYT morning briefing) that said votes will likely be counted faster this year than 2020 for various reasons including changes to rules about when they can be counted in some states and faster machines, e.g. in Philadelphia. I want it to be over but only if it goes the right way...

[sonrisa]

Nov 4, 2024 9:47:02 GMT -5 aurora said:

but only if it goes the right way...

yes. I’ll wait all month for the right outcome if needed.

[stuffandthings]

This morning when I arrived at work someone had left a little box on my desk with "itty-bitty election week care package" written on it. Inside is a stress ball, stress relief tea, chocolate, a fidget, and a series of inspirational stickers with cute animals. There was no name on it.

I am deeply touched by my anonymous coworker's concern for my emotional state.

[wildrice]

I am feeling oddly kind of numb about it. I feel in my gut like it's going to be ok and Kamala is going to be elected. But there is definitely a nagging little voice inside me that is reminding me that that's how I felt 8 years ago and look how that turned out.

I am working as an election judge tomorrow, and the only thing I'm really nervous about there is that it's going to be a LONG, tiring day. But I think it will help with some of the anxiety since presumably I'll be busy and I'll have to put on my "customer service" face all day. I find smiling and speaking brightly to people generally puts me in a good mood, so hopefully that means tomorrow will be a really positive day. I am nervous for poll workers in other places, but I really don't expect to have ANY issues here in my heavily blue community.

Hopefully by the time I get home there will be plenty of states who have returned their counts already, and I'm keeping up hope that it's a landslide.

I will WFH Wednesday and I have a feeling nobody will expect anything of anyone if the results are bad. Although we cannot officially endorse any candidate, the nature of the work that we do means that Kamala is the only reasonable choice for anyone who intentionally works there. So no matter what I will be in good company.

[eport]

Nov 4, 2024 10:25:14 GMT -5 wildrice said:

I am working as an election judge tomorrow, and the only thing I'm really nervous about there is that it's going to be a LONG, tiring day. But I think it will help with some of the anxiety since presumably I'll be busy and I'll have to put on my "customer service" face all day. I find smiling and speaking brightly to people generally puts me in a good mood, so hopefully that means tomorrow will be a really positive day. I am nervous for poll workers in other places, but I really don't expect to have ANY issues here in my heavily blue community.

Hopefully by the time I get home there will be plenty of states who have returned their counts already, and I'm keeping up hope that it's a landslide.

Hello fellow judge. Tomorrow will be a long day but worth it. Last presidential election we didn't really get a break so pack a lunch and some snacks.

I've told people I hope it's busy enough to keep me from going crazy but not so overwhelming busy. There's always some crazies/yelling but hoping it's kept to well I'll have some funny stories vs actually being scared. (Have not been scared on anything yet) And I have some funny ones from my four years of judging. Most people are good,excited to vote, and polite. Some complaints but amused when I point out we all work in pairs of D and R so no, no one is trying to influence them, we just want people to vote.

Im central time zone so by the time I get home, we'll probably be through Mountain time results. Too tired to be constantly checking while we are closing up.

[wildrice]

Nov 4, 2024 10:55:35 GMT -5 eport said:

Nov 4, 2024 10:25:14 GMT -5 wildrice said:

I am working as an election judge tomorrow, and the only thing I'm really nervous about there is that it's going to be a LONG, tiring day. But I think it will help with some of the anxiety since presumably I'll be busy and I'll have to put on my "customer service" face all day. I find smiling and speaking brightly to people generally puts me in a good mood, so hopefully that means tomorrow will be a really positive day. I am nervous for poll workers in other places, but I really don't expect to have ANY issues here in my heavily blue community.

Hopefully by the time I get home there will be plenty of states who have returned their counts already, and I'm keeping up hope that it's a landslide.

Hello fellow judge. Tomorrow will be a long day but worth it. Last presidential election we didn't really get a break so pack a lunch and some snacks.

I've told people I hope it's busy enough to keep me from going crazy but not so overwhelming busy. There's always some crazies/yelling but hoping it's kept to well I'll have some funny stories vs actually being scared. (Have not been scared on anything yet) And I have some funny ones from my four years of judging. Most people are good,excited to vote, and polite. Some complaints but amused when I point out we all work in pairs of D and R so no, no one is trying to influence them, we just want people to vote.

Im central time zone so by the time I get home, we'll probably be through Mountain time results. Too tired to be constantly checking while we are closing up.

Thank you for the info! This is my first time so it's great to hear from others who have done it before. I hope everything goes smoothly for you tomorrow!

[rubytue]

I am voting tomorrow. I am feeling like I *should* hve done early voting, but I love the electricity of voting day. It’s not like I haven’t made all my decisions. Plus, I can vote during work hours, and have worked a plan where I do my in office day in the morning, then come home to vote and finish the day at home.

Maybe wildrice will sign me in.

[TR]

I'm all set to drive Democratic voters tomorrow, I printed my stuff and laminated the window sign. I have no idea what to expect in my TX county. I don't know if it will be non-stop all day or just sitting around waiting for rides to be sent to me. I cleaned the inside of my car yesterday and I had bought a pack of disposable ponchos because it had said it was going to rain tomorrow, but now it doesn't so maybe I'll be able to return those.

Like PP said, I want this to be over quickly, but only if it's the result we want.

[sonrisa]

I like voting in person and bringing the kids with me. I've scheduled dentist appointments for both in the morning and we'll go after those finish.

[erbear]

@@@

I'm more anxious than I was after our inservice today. Apparently we are supposed to process with kids, but not let them know our personal feelings either way or let them get too wrapped up in it. Yeah...that seems likely.

[lust2hart]

Nov 4, 2024 10:59:26 GMT -5 wildrice said:

Nov 4, 2024 10:55:35 GMT -5 eport said:

Hello fellow judge. Tomorrow will be a long day but worth it. Last presidential election we didn't really get a break so pack a lunch and some snacks.

I've told people I hope it's busy enough to keep me from going crazy but not so overwhelming busy. There's always some crazies/yelling but hoping it's kept to well I'll have some funny stories vs actually being scared. (Have not been scared on anything yet) And I have some funny ones from my four years of judging. Most people are good,excited to vote, and polite. Some complaints but amused when I point out we all work in pairs of D and R so no, no one is trying to influence them, we just want people to vote.

Im central time zone so by the time I get home, we'll probably be through Mountain time results. Too tired to be constantly checking while we are closing up.

Thank you for the info! This is my first time so it's great to hear from others who have done it before. I hope everything goes smoothly for you tomorrow!

I don't know if you'll have to deal with this, but I've learned that I need to be ready with an answer to, "How do you know the machine isn't changing my vote?" In the past I've been really caught off guard by this; the question is so ridiculous (especially because in my county, we use paper ballots, and the machine is simply scanning them in), and I'm not good at thinking on my feet, and so my brain just kind of short-circuits. I've usually said some version of, "I have faith in the system," which of course is a wholly unsatisfactory answer...but I'm pretty sure the people who have asked this question aren't sincerely asking anyway, so any answer won't be good enough. But on the off-chance that the question is asked in good faith, this year I'm going to go with that the canvassing board doublechecks everything. I realize that answer doesn't actually address the question about the machines, but I have no idea how to address that. I know the machine isn't changing votes like how I know my car won't spontaneously combust on my drive home, or like how I know my husband isn't cheating on me. I can't prove that something ISN'T happening, you know?

[cville]

My husband sent me a meme that said something like the entire country feels like it's waiting on a biopsy result. And that is exactly it.

[noodleoo]

Nov 4, 2024 10:25:14 GMT -5 wildrice said:

I am feeling oddly kind of numb about it. I feel in my gut like it's going to be ok and Kamala is going to be elected. But there is definitely a nagging little voice inside me that is reminding me that that's how I felt 8 years ago and look how that turned out.

I’m strangely hopeful and excited for tomorrow right now! The orange menace has been melting down and I think people are finally seeing it. So many trends are on our side (women voting more than men, lots of young people voting, undecideds breaking for Harris, the democratic ground game compared to nothing for Dump, etc). I think she’s going to do it! For real!!!! I remember 2016 too, but it’s different this time. We KNOW better now, I really think there is going to be a blue wave that undeniable. (I really really really hope I’m not wrong 🤞). But I’m choosing to focus on this happy, hopeful feeling!

I’m also not thinking past Election Day because I am scared that the time between Tuesday and Jan 20th is going to be tenuous. However, I take comfort in the fact that adults are in charge this time (Biden), they are prepared and taking every precaution to prevent anything like Jan 6th happening again.

[wildrice]

Nov 4, 2024 11:52:16 GMT -5 lust2hart said:

Nov 4, 2024 10:59:26 GMT -5 wildrice said:

Thank you for the info! This is my first time so it's great to hear from others who have done it before. I hope everything goes smoothly for you tomorrow!

I don't know if you'll have to deal with this, but I've learned that I need to be ready with an answer to, "How do you know the machine isn't changing my vote?" In the past I've been really caught off guard by this; the question is so ridiculous (especially because in my county, we use paper ballots, and the machine is simply scanning them in), and I'm not good at thinking on my feet, and so my brain just kind of short-circuits. I've usually said some version of, "I have faith in the system," which of course is a wholly unsatisfactory answer...but I'm pretty sure the people who have asked this question aren't sincerely asking anyway, so any answer won't be good enough. But on the off-chance that the question is asked in good faith, this year I'm going to go with that the canvassing board doublechecks everything. I realize that answer doesn't actually address the question about the machines, but I have no idea how to address that. I know the machine isn't changing votes like how I know my car won't spontaneously combust on my drive home, or like how I know my husband isn't cheating on me. I can't prove that something ISN'T happening, you know?

Ha - yes! You can't prove a negative...

But thanks for the heads up, I guess I'll have to think about what to say. We have the same scanning machines so that seems pretty secure IMO. But yes, people are nuts/stupid sometimes and you can't really reason with that. 

[laladypoet]

if it helps, the medium matilda says Kamala will win, Trump will try to overthrow the election but won't be successful. I follow her on social media for self-care purposes at this point.

[shauni27]

Oct 31, 2024 22:41:13 GMT -5 pugz said:

an entire bag of mini butterfingers didn't cure my anxiety, huh.

ha! I tried with a full bag of nerd clusters and now my teeth hurt, but my anxiety is still there.

I keep thinking back to '08 and we were at a party on the west coast where we lived. We were all so nervous because it seemed like a very close race. And then they called it in a landslide for Obama before we really even got the party started; it was incredible. I am hoping that is what we have again.

@@@
in 2016 I had just found out I was pregnant a week before the election and I remember crying on the couch in the middle of the night thinking about the world I am bringing a baby into. 

[mrsukyankee]

My whole office is very nervous and I'm one of two who has ties to the US. We know that the outcome will impact not just the US but also the world. It's a big one. I'll be nervously waiting this week.

[icedcoffee]

Nov 4, 2024 12:41:43 GMT -5 shauni27 said:

Oct 31, 2024 22:41:13 GMT -5 pugz said:

an entire bag of mini butterfingers didn't cure my anxiety, huh.

ha! I tried with a full bag of nerd clusters and now my teeth hurt, but my anxiety is still there.

I keep thinking back to '08 and we were at a party on the west coast where we lived. We were all so nervous because it seemed like a very close race. And then they called it in a landslide for Obama before we really even got the party started; it was incredible. I am hoping that is what we have again.

@@@
in 2016 I had just found out I was pregnant a week before the election and I remember crying on the couch in the middle of the night thinking about the world I am bringing a baby into. 

@@@

My baby was born pretty unexpectedly election day 2016.  I sat there at 4AM holding my baby watching Hilary concede and feeling very WTF happened.

[shauni27]

icedcoffee, I cannot fathom that at all. That is wild.